NHTSA Complaint #11299002 — 2012 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN

OVER THE LAST 6 WEEKS, ON OCCASION WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE- IT WILL CRANK WITHOUT TURNING OVER AND RUNNING. THIS REQUIRES MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS BEFORE THE VEHICLE WOULD RUN. IT HAS BECOME A MORE FREQUENT EVENT TO INCLUDE BRIEFLY RUNNING THEN SHUTTING DOWN. WTHIN THE LAST WEEK, THE BATTERY HAS DRAINED WITHOUT CASUE- REQUIREING CHARGING. AS OF TODAY, THE FAILURE TO START ISSUE PERSISTS REQUIREING MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS. THIS HAPPENS ON A COLD START AS WELL AS WHEN THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN RUNNING/IS WARMED UP. DDIAGNOSTICS LEAD TO A FAILURE OF THE FUEL PUMP RELAY IN THE TIPM. THIS IS A WELL DOCUMENTED ISSUE FOR THIS ENGINE/TIPM HOWEVER THE CARAVAN HAS NOT BEEN INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AS THE DRUANGO AND JEEP VEHICLES HAVE BEEN. THE FAILURE OF THIS TIPM HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED TO INCLUDE SUDDEN ENGINE SHUTDOWN WHILE IN OPERATION REPRESENTING A SIGNIFICANT DANGER TO THE PUBLIC. BASED ON REVIEWS OF OTHER COMPLAINTS, AN ORDINARY REASONABLE PRUDENT PERSON WOULD BELIEVE THAT THIS TIPM FAILURE IS A IMINENT THREAT TO SAFETY. THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO EXPAND THE RECALL AND REPAIR TO ALL VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE SUSPECT TIPM. CURRENTLY, A NON RECALLED VEHICLE WOULD HAVE THE TIPM MODULE REPLCED AT A SIGNIFICANT COST TO THE OWNER OR, A NON DEALERSHIP INSTALLED "RECALL" REPAIR (NEW RELAY) INSTALLED THAT WOULD NEGATE ANY FURTHER/FUTURE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MANUFACTURER. AUTHORIZED SERVICE CENTERS SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE THE OPTION OF PAYING FOR THE "RECALL" REPAIR WHEN SERVICING A VEHICLE NOT ON THE RECALL LIST. KNOWING THIS TIPM FAILURES POTENTIAL, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT, REGARDLESS OF ANY CLASS ACTIN SETTLEMENT- THE MANUFACTURER BE REQUIRED TO MITIGATE THIS ISSUE AT THE LEAST POSSIBLE EXPENSE TO THE VEHICLE OWNER.